1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a hockey puck with aerodynamic advantages to allow it to float on a cushion of air with minimal friction with the playing surface.
The field of invention is sporting goods and the invention relates particularly to pucks of the type that are used on a surface other than ice.
2. Description of Prior Art
The game of roller hockey is played on a playing surface other than ice. Although Ice hockey has been a popular sport, it has been limited to the colder winter climates or played on a artificial ice surface on an indoor rink. In-line roller skates have made it possible to duplicate the game of ice hockey on non-ice surfaces. The hard rubber pucks used in ice hockey would not slide on a non-ice surface satisfactorily. Several puck designs have tried to replicate the motion of an ice hockey puck on non-ice surfaces. These designs of pucks for non-ice surfaces are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,275,410; 4,111,419; 3,997,164; 4,801,144; 3,726,526; 3,784,204; and 2,727,744. Several of these designs have runner type devices which are rotatable such as a ball bearing intended to reduce friction or have protruding pegs to raise the body of the puck from the playing surface to reduce the coefficient of friction by minimizing the contact area. It has been found that this type of puck does not satisfactorily exhibit the performance characteristics of an ice hockey puck on an ice surface.